TN governor inaugurates 123rd flower show in Ooty

A 23-foot high floral replica of the Parliament building made of nearly two lakh red and white carnation is the cynosure of all eyes at the 123rd Flower Show inaugurated by Tamil Nadu governor Banwarilal Purohit at the Botanical Gardens here Friday.

It is indeed a matter of pride and happiness that the people of Nilgiris district have played host to the show for several decades, thus exhibiting their love for nature and their appreciation of beauty, the governor said in his inaugural address.

The annual show enjoys national and international recognition in terms of its antiquity and stature and flaunts the beauty of nature in all its colourful versatility, he said.

The garden has a sprawling expanse of 22 hectares and attracts around 30 lakh tourists every year, hosting an enormous collection of over 2,000 species of flora, he said.

It is the enormous variety that makes the flower show a unique event and there are more than 150 varieties of cut flowers, various kinds of tropical and temperate vegetables and tropical and temperate fruit on display here.

The 30,000 potted flowering plants that have been specially arranged for the five-day show are sure to enthrall the visitors, Purohit said.